Envelop



w. H. CUMMINGS.

ENVELOP.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 27,1918.

1 Patented Nov. 9, 1920.

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INVEN r01? AT ORNEY UNITED stares WILLIAM H. CU1VIMINGS, OLF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ENVELOZP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 27, 1918. SeriaI No. 264,291;

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that '1, WILLIAM H. CUM MINGS, a citizen of the United Eitates, and

a resident of Philadelphia, in the county of.

Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented anlmprovement in Envelope, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to envelops which when closed have the appearance of being sealed but which are provided with means whereby access to the interior thereof is permitted in order that the contents may be examined if desired.

The advantage of such envelops is that they enable the distribution of certain mat ter in unsealed envelops or packages with the result that a saving in postage is effected.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a construction 01 envelop in which the unsealed means for holding the circulars, papers or other contents therein and which is adapted to be opened to permit access to the interior thereof is securely retained in position, the retaining means, however, permitting ready and easy opening of the said unsealed means.

A. further object of my invention is to.

simplify the construction thereby decreasing the cost of production of the envelops commercially, while at the sametime in creasing the strength of the envelop and also increasing the security oi the holding means. v

Other obiects and advantages of my invention will be particularly pointed out in the detailed description thereof whieh'follows or willbe apparent from such description.

In order that my invention may be more readily understood and its advantages of construction more fully appreciated, referene may he had to the accompanying draw- 7 inc," in which I have illustrated one form of a convenient embodiment thereoi. It will be understood, however, that changes in the details of construction may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from my invention.

In the drawing:--

Figure 1 is a plan view oi the inner side ot an envelop blank with the flap portions thereof ready to be folded to form my envelop; V

Fig.2 is a view with certain of the flaps folded into position leaving oneof the flaps ready to be folded into previously folded;

F ig. 3 is a plan view of the bottom side of an envelop with certain of the flaps secured in closed position but withthe flap position over those tor closing the upper side of the envelop in open position ready to be folded down;

Fig. 4 is a view of the bottom side of the envelop with the'top closing flap in closed position and showing the unsealed flap removed from underneath the other flaps of the envelop; p I

Fig. 5 is a view similar to that shown in F ig. 2 hutwith certain of the adhesive material shown in Fig. "2 omitted Fig. 6 is a view of a portion of the flap shown at the right hand side of Figs. 2 and 5 with a further portion of the adhesive material omitted, and

F ig. 7 is a. transverse sectional view taken on theline 7-7 of Fig. 4: but with the unsealed flap shown in closed position in full lines and in open position indash and dot lines.

Referring to the drawing :-1 designates a portion of a blank which, when the envelop is constructed therefrom, constitutes the front side of the same. 2 designates a -flap constituting an extension of one end of the portion 1, which flap is adapted to be folded inwardly upon the inner side of said portion and its lower edge, in the con-- struction shown, is adjacent and is in parallel relation to th lower edge of the portion 1, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing. The flap 2 is provided with a slit 3 adapted to receive a flap 4, as clearly indicated in F igs. 2 and 5. The slit islsituated at the lower side of the flap 2 and extends from the lower'edgre thereof, as shown. The lower portion of the flap 2 t0 the right of the slit 3, after the said flap has been folded over as shown in Figs. 2

and 5 oi the drawingn is situated underneath or underlies the flap 4, while the portion thereof to the left of said slit, after it has been folded over, overlies the said flap 4 when the latter has been folded inwardly as shown in Figs. 2. 5 and 7. After the, flap 2. has been folded inwardly as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, the flap 5 is then folded inwardly and is fastened to the flap 2 by means of the adhesiveindicated at 6. In the construction shown. the lower edge of the flap 5 is adja ent and in parallel rela Patented Nov. 9, 1920.

tion tothe lower edge of the portion 1 and is substantially of the same length as said portion. It will be noted that the said adhesive consistsof a relatively narrow, elongated portion 6 and a triangular portion 6 The latter portion is adapted. to secure the end portion ofthe flap to the portion 7 of the flap 2 intermediate the slit 3 and the portion 1 of the blank or theenvelop.

'tion It will be observed thatthe flap 5 is securely fastened to the flap 2 not only along the'surface thereof which corresponds to the relatively narrow portion 6 of the adhesive, but also along the relativelywide portion thereof corresponding to the triangular portion 6* of the said adhesive material. It will be also observed that the bottom flap 4 may be readily removed from between the flaps 2 and 5, and from underneath the por- 7 of the flap 2, so as to open'the bottom edge of the envelop and permit access to the interior thereof, as is clearly shown in Fig. 4 in full lines and by dotted lines in Fig/F.

. It will also be observed that by securing the flaps '2 and 5 together throughout a largeproportion of their length, as indicated in Fig.2, there are no loose edges upon eitherbf the said flaps to catch the papers J orother materials which may be inserted in the said envelop to interfere with their ready insertion. It will be understood, however, that the relatively narrow portion 6 of ad hesive may extend even farther along the flap 5 than is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing; also that it may be shortened or omitted entirely, as is indicated in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawing. In Fig. 5 only that part of the relatively narrow. portion 6 of the adhesive is retained which is parallel to the upper inclined edge of the flap 5, while in F g. 6 the relatlvely narrow portion 6 1s entirely removed, leaving only the triangular portionh which isadapted to-be secured to theportion 7 of theflap 2 to the left of the slit 3 after the said flap 2 has been folded over upon the part 1, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5.

' The top of the envelop is adapted to be "closed by the closing flap 10 provided with adhesive material 11 upon its inner surface ad acent its outeredge by means of which said flap is adapted to be secured to the construction of envelop which, when the flap i is folded inwardly as indicated in full lines in Fig. 7: and when-the flap 10 is in closed position also as shown in said Fig. 7,-

"has the neat appearance of a sealed envelop.

The postal authorities, however, have ready and convenient access to the interior of said envelop merely by removing the flap 4 from underneath the flaps 2 and 5. v i

It is apparent that by interlocking the flap 4 with the lower part of theflflap 2 near.

The manner in which the bottom flap stains the contents of the envelop therein and prevents the escape of the same therefrom is shown clearly in Fig. 7 in which the lower edge of the sheet of paper or other material 12 is shown seated in the fold between the said flap and thefront side of the envelop.

I claim V V 1. An envelop comprising front andback sides, the latter consisting of overlapped end flaps which are secured together, the underneath one of said flaps having a slit extending from the lower edge. upwardly therein, a bottom flap which is adapted to enter the said slit, one portion of said bottom flap when engaged withsaid slit being situated underneath a portion of the underneath end flap and ,the remaining portion thereof being situated between. the said overlapping end flaps, and a top flap for closing the opening at the top edge of the said envelop. e

2. An envelop comprising front and back sides, the latter including end flaps, one of which overlies the other, a slit extending from the lower edge upwardlyin the under heath flap, said slit being situated relatively near the base end of said flap, meansfor securing the outer end portion of the overlyingv flap to the portion of the underneath flap which is situated between the slit therein and the adjacent base end thereof,.a relatively narrow bottom flap which is adapted to extend into the said slit, one end portion of said bottom flap being situated between the front side of the said envelop and thesaid underneath end flap, and the other portion of said bottom flap being situated between portions of the said end flaps, and a top flap adapted to be folded over and se cured to the upper edge portions of saidv end flaps for closing the top opening of said envelop. i r

8. .An envelop comprising end flaps overlapped and constituting a part of the back side of the. envelop, the underneath flap being provided with a slit extending upwardly from its edge, and a bottom flap-adapted to extend into and throughsaid slit whereby.

one portion thereof'is situated underneath a portion of said flap and the remaining portion thereof above the said flap, and the portion of the underneath flap overlying the bottom flap being secured to the top overlapping end flap.

4. An envelop comprising end flaps overlapped and constituting a part of the back side of the envelop, the lower edges of said flaps lying adjacent and in substantial parallel relation to the lower edge of the front side of the envelop, the underneath flap being provided with a slit extending upwardly from its lower edge at a point adjacent the base end portion thereof, and a bottom flap adapted to extend into and through said slit whereby one portion thereof is sltuated-underneath the portion of said flap between said slit and the base end thereof, and the remaining portion thereof above a portion of said flap to the right of said slit, and the said overlying end flaps being secured together within the region between said slit and the base end of the underlying end flap.

, In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have hereunto set my hand this 26th day of November, A. D., 1918.

WILLIAM H. CUMMINGS. 

